The Ellis County Press: Local Briefs Local Briefs ================================================================================ Editor on 05/07/2008 22:37:00 City council, school board Election May 10 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. PALMER Girl Scout Troop 3146 in Palmer will host a food drive and blood drive Saturday, May 10 at the Fundamental Baptist Church of Palmer from 9 a.m. till 2 p.m. For more info call 972-449-2420 Bardwell Former police Chief Michael Chase Meissner, the subject of numerous local and state investigations, said he believes one of his friends in the Cockrell Hill Police Department set up an "inside job" to force Chief Catherine Smit - the only law enforcement officer to ever have arrested Meissner - to resign. "I've had several buds there over the years," Meissner stated in numerous text messages [sic] to _The Ellis County Press_ news editor. Meissner, who stepped down as chief in the town near Ennis in 2005, was arrested by Smit for a warrant pertaining to allegedly operating a security company without a license. "My bud said it was an inside deal. U know y she got mad at me? That's wat's funny." Smit resigned from the CHPD after a "secret internal investigation" by that small Dallas County town's mayor when allegations were published in the _Dallas Morning News_ that she had hired former Ellis County Emergency Management coordinator Troy Wayne Willmon, who allegedly had inaccurate information on his resume. Willmon is a former officer for the Red Oak Police Department and Ellis County Sheriff's Office. Smit said she could not comment on the allegations but did say the _DMN_ story neglected large amounts of her side of the story. Italy The city's pick for city administrator , James McClinton, was accused by his daughters of assault, according to published news reports in the _Topeka Capital-Journal_ newspaper in Topeka, Kansas, where McClinton was mayor. Italy council members made the final offer to McClinton, who currently serves as the interim administrator. McClinton called the allegations and the literature during his mayoral race a "smear campaign." The Capital-Journal reported McClinton and his wife were arrested in 2002 for domestic violence, but charges were later dismissed. Italy is located south of Waxahachie, home to about 2,100 people. Midlothian Irate voters in Midlothian reported receiving a mail piece from the Concerned Citizens Against Higher Taxes group in Midlothian depicting incumbent school board member Cindy Williams in a Big Bird costume, with her alleged voting record near the image. Red Oak Opponents of incumbent school board trustees are furious the Red Oak school district's glossy, bright-colored _Hawk Headliner_ mail pieces were mailed several days before the May 10 school board election. Though they didn't include voting information, the photos show incumbent trustees in various poses, a move deemed unfair by the Red Oak Window blog.